Feminism and the Power of Law

by Carol Smart

Carol Smart presents a new gendered analysis of the power of law and argues for a feminist, post-structuralist approach. She comments on pornography as well as discussing recent research on rape trials and abortion legislation.

Genres: Feminism, Nonfiction, Law, Sociology, Academic

192 pages, Paperback

First published March 8, 1989

Reviews

[Marisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this for work as well. Brilliant.

I loved the parallel she drew between the power that law and science have in shaping moral and societal truths. Although she wrote this book nearly 40 years ago, almost everything she described still holds, which is fundamentally appalling.

Her concluding remarks will stay with me for a very long time, especially the question: Is the law extending a call for greater attention to feminism?

[l · Rating 3 out of 5]

this book was recommended to me in a lecture last year. i don't really understand why as it's old and laws on the issue this book focuses on: pornography, in vitro, sexual assault etc have undergone substantial changes since the 1980s. the basic arguments have some validity still but words like phallogocentric honestly make me cringe though it makes sense given the time it was written in.

[R · Rating 5 out of 5]

interesting method, useful history

[Manikya Kodithuwakku · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seminal work on the intersections between law, language and literature, and gender studies.

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

A classic I often return to for my academic work. I agree with Smart overall and this book is a nice read as well as a great point of reference.

[rania · Rating 3 out of 5]

a bit dated (obviously) but provides a decent foundation for approaching the topic. would’ve appreciated more nuance and intersectionality but again works for the time it was written in

[Faye Bird · Rating 4 out of 5]

In my opinion, what is important about this book is the critique of law as a mechanism to exert power and maintain the existing status quo, and to refute the idea that law, as a product of this status quo, can be an effective vehicle to dismantle it. So whilst the substantive law may no longer be applicable, these laws act more as a case study, demonstrating why Smart's basic premise is still so relevant.